<html class="apple-mail-supports-explicit-dark-mode"><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Gugu and Tshepo,</span><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Perhaps you can explain to us how you ended up thinking of near identical opening sentences to your emails ? </span></div><div><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“Introductions can be helpful, but they are voluntary. They should not become an informal test of who qualifies as a “genuine” community member.”</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“</span><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> introductions can provide context, but they should not become a test of whether someone is a “genuine” community member.”</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">By way of introduction, my profile can be found here. </span><a href="https://btw.media/en/governance/rir-watchdog/afrinic/benjamin-mark-roberts">https://btw.media/en/governance/rir-watchdog/afrinic/benjamin-mark-roberts</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Kind Regards</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Ben</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br id="lineBreakAtBeginningOfSignature"></span><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone</div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On 21 Jul 2026, at 17:15, Tshepo Masuku <TshepoMasuku26@hotmail.com> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr">
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<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Hi Ben,</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Introductions can provide context, but they should not become a test of whether someone is a “genuine” community
member.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">An open process cannot presume that familiar participants belong while newcomers must prove themselves. If affiliation
disclosure is important, it should be a clear and equal rule covering everyone, including employers, clients, funding, and organisational interests.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Until such a rule exists, contributions should be judged by their substance and conduct, not by whether the
established circle recognises the sender.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Regards,<br>
Tshepo</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><span style="font-family: Aptos, Aptos_MSFontService, -apple-system, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(33, 33, 33);"><br>
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